FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): The City of Fort Wayne is looking for some input on how to help the southeast part of town thrive.

Residents are invited to take a look at the draft recommendations of the Southeast Strategy Update 2020, now online at SoutheastStrategy.org.

The plan is designed to increase investment in the southeast quadrant of the city and was developed by the City’s Planning & Policy Department, alongside Sixth District City Councilwoman Sharon Tucker, the Southeast Area Partnership and an advisory committee made up of southeast area community leaders.

“Southeast Fort Wayne is lacking the things that it needs to be able to have the quality of life that many other parts of Fort Wayne has,” Tucker says, “When you talk about medical care, access to healthy foods, or a simple sit-down restaurant, a lot of things that many communities take for granted.”

She also acknowledged that the southeast quadrant of Fort Wayne has had its share of crime and gang problems, but is optimistic that those can be overcome.

“I will not whitewash or pretend that there isn’t a challenge, but that is not an excuse to not provide services that our tax dollars are paying for,” Tucker says. “Crime happens throughout our community, and we’re working to rebrand ourselves. Although we do have the largest number of shootings, we have lower crime statistics in other things. We want the message to be clear that we’re working to combat those.”

City planners hope to have a plan ready for the City Council to adopt by the end of the year. Listen to Tucker’s full interview here.